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Showing posts with label reading. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reading. Show all posts
Thursday, May 3, 2018
Writing Techniques ~~ "Planting & Harvesting"
Monday, April 16, 2018
Poetry & Prose ~~ "Spring Sonnets, Sports, & Symposiums"
Now that spring is in full swing, it's a great time to head outdoors to do some reading and writing. I suppose you could even do some 'rithmetic if that's on your schedule.
Sonnets
For my April issue of Writers' T. & T. (Writers' Tips & Techniques), I invite you to try your hand at writing a sonnet of which there are basically six different styles and types. The word sonnet is derived from the Italian word "sonnetto," which means a "little song" or small lyric. For more details, please scoop this: https://literarydevices.net/sonnet/
Of Farms & Frames
Down through the family trees they descended,
Some with brown eyes, others with blue, one with green.
All were created so lovingly by God,
Implementing His masterful right hand.
A lively clan as one could easily hear.
The patriarch was quite a character,
To which the neighbors would gladly attest.
The little farm provided years of quick learning,
Lessons required to be remembered.
Time flees so quickly; capture it right now,
Chances abound for precious memories.
Print them to place inside a pretty frame,
To continue your family legacy,
For the generations which will follow you.
GRANDKIDDOS' SPRING SPORTS
Granddaughter, Ali ,with a fabulous serve during her first spring volleyball game.
Grandson, T. J., executing the perfect hike during his Friday Night Flag Football game.
Since brother's team was winning by a wide margin, sister reads on. She's never without a book. Speaking of readers and writers, one doesn't need to look very far back in the family trees to find many of the same bent.
Spring Writers' Symposium
Those of you who attended the Spring Writers' Symposium on St. Patrick's Day in Parma, Idaho were treated to a little humor when I commenced my workshop on Creative Writing. I wanted to celebrate my new found ancestry with a stylish pair of glasses. What do you think?
Speaking of creative writing, enter to win your choice of one of my books featured on my blog page ~~ www.sheilassagaciousstirrings.blogspot.com or the creative writing exercise and instructions I presented during the recent symposium. This creative writing packet will include three creative writing prompts.
How to enter:
1. Follow me on Facebook or Twitter@SheilaEismann (if you are not already doing so) and mention the title of this newsletter, "Spring Sonnets, Sports and Symposiums."
2. Visit my blog post, "Spring Sonnets, Sports and Symposiums." and leave a comment.
3. Share the blog post on Facebook or Twitter. (Don't forget to tag me and comment "Spring Sonnets, Sports and Symposiums" when you share, so I will know you entered.)
4. For those of you who are not social media subscribers, please send an email to: sheila@desertsagepress.com and indicate that you'd like to have your name entered in the giveaway.
The giveaway will run from now until April 30th. The winner will be announced Monday, April 30th at noon MDT via Facebook, Twitter, and email. Must be 18 years old to enter. Winner's choice of one of my books or creative writing materials ships only to mainland United States.
"I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see." [John Burrough]
In the interim, Happy Reading & Write On!
Sheila Fabulous
Wednesday, March 28, 2018
Writing Techniques ~~ Writing a Successful Book Series
According to a poll conducted by Goodreads in 2015, more
readers liked reading books that were part of a series than stand-alone books, although
it was close. Knowing this, many writers embark on the road to writing a
series.
The key to writing a successful book series is creating a
believable world and lovable characters. Book series are popular IF readers
fall in love with the characters. If readers love the characters, they will
want to know more about them and their journeys in life.
Preplanning for a series is imperative. Before writing a
series, a writer needs to do a lot of prework and answer a series of questions:
(1) Will the series be about the world where the characters live
or about the characters and what happens to them? A writer should determine what
the focus of the series will be. Consider the novels of James Michener that
were long and could have been broken individual series. He wrote about places
and the people who lived there. The characters came, changed the place, then
died or moved on. The next characters in time came and picked up the story of
the place. His focus was the world of his novels. The most successful series ever
written was about the characters of Harry Potter and his friends. The wizarding
world was an important element of the series, but the characters were the focus
of the series.
(2) What is at the core of the series? An overarching antagonist
or evil to be overcome should weave its way through the whole series. Harry
Potter didn’t kill Voldemort in the first book; it took the whole series to
bring him down. Smaller enemies and problems (subplots to the whole story) were
resolved by the end of each book in the quest to take out Voldemort. The same
can be said of the original Star Wars movies. The characters resolved battles
by the end of each movie, but the overarching nemesis of the Empire wasn’t
destroyed until the final movie.
(3) How does each book end? Don’t end the first or second book
with a cliffhanger or end a book mid-scene. Each book should have its problems
or issues (subplots) that are resolved by the final page, but leave the reader
wondering if the final victory will be won. That’s what draws them into the
next book.
(4) Where does the story take place? The writer must create the
world where the characters live; not only create it but describe it in great
detail.
(a) Draw a map on paper. Find pictures of what the imagined world looks
like and keep them close.
(b) What does this world physically look like?
(c) What kinds of people are in it, and how do they dress?
(d) What are the ethics and beliefs of
society?
(e) What issues are facing the population?
(f) Do they have enemies and
allies?
(g) Who are the characters? All the characters must be defined
before writing. What do they look like and how to they act? Who are their
immediate family members, and how were they brought up? What notable physical
traits and what special powers or skills do they have? What morals do they hold,
and what would it take to push them outside of their beliefs?
(5) Whose point of view (POV) will be used? Most series are
written in third-person limited to one or two characters’ POV unless the focus
is on the place.
(6) When will the story end? Through the course of the series,
the characters should move from their faulty beginnings to their new and
improved selves. The best series have happily-ever-after endings. The reader can
hope for the same.
Readers who like series generally waited until all the books
in the series were out before starting the first one. Writing, then releasing
two, three, or more books at once may seem intimidating. Releasing them one at
a time may result in more sales after the last one comes out.
Please check out these helpful resources:
I’m on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/cskjar/
I’m on Twitter at @cskjar
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Thank you, Carol, for this well-crafted guest blog to assist writers who desire to author a series of books.
My friend and fellow author, C.S. Kjar, (pronounced "care") lives with her
long-time first husband in their empty nest in Boise. She spent her life doing
many different things. She’s been a stay-at-home mom, a teacher, a secretary, a
statistician, a literacy tutor, a newsletter editor, a timber sale accountant,
an archeological technician, and best and longest of all, a technical
writer/editor.
After retiring, Carol focused on writing fiction. Her novels
are sweet and wholesome, suspenseful with a touch of romance. She has also
written children's, middle age books, and one non-fiction book about quilting. When not writing or traveling with her husband, she loves to
quilt, sew, read, draw, paint, and read to her grandsons.
For those of you so inclined, pick up your pen or sit down at your computer, and write on. Get that book series published!
Tuesday, December 6, 2016
Sweet & Savory ~~ Spearmint Tea
There's nothing quite like a cup of hot tea on a snowy winter day! It warms your body, soul, mind and spirit.
I grew the spearmint plant during the summer and fall months in one of my wooden backyard planters, trimming it before the first frost.
Secondly, I tied the bundle of leaves with a piece of string and suspended it from an old shower curtain until the leaves were completely dried.
I was in for a real surprise when I prepared my first cup of tea by placing a few of the dried leaves inside a tea strainer and poured hot water over the top. This yielded a far more intense flavor than making tea from the dried leaves inside a tea bag which I had purchased several months prior thereto.
This whole exercise has given me some great planting ideas for the spring of 2017. What variety of tea should I try next?
Stay warm, and enjoy!
Friday, July 29, 2016
Science With The Grandkiddos
During one of the grandkiddos' recent visits, they made two ice cube trays of citrus slices. These have been such a nice relief during our recent one hundred degree temperatures.
Depending upon the ages of your grandchildren, you may have to slice the lemon or lime into small wedges for them.
If your grandchildren are old enough, they can read the instructions for themselves:
1. Rinse a lemon or lime, dry with paper towel, and cut into small slices or wedges.
2. Place one wedge into each compartment of the ice tray.
3. Place the ice tray in the freezer overnight. Invert the tray to remove the cubes. If you only desire to use one or two at a time, they can be removed from the tray by grasping the citrus wedge.
4. This is a fun way to explain to young children how water can be a liquid and a solid.
5. Other suggestions for the citrus wedges ~~ place them inside a glass of iced or hot tea or a citrus drink!
Happy Reading & Learning. Stay cool!
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Friday, February 26, 2016
Poetry's Presence ~~ "Someday"
SOMEDAY
Someday
I’ll find the time
to do the things I want to do.
I’ll
venture into the attic
and find the recipe for that roux.
The
ancestral trees on both sides
continue to call my name,
Reminding
me ever so gently
that they’re nowhere near the same.
Aunt
Allene’s heirloom quilt
must be removed from its display
rack,
As
it beckons me to follow
the nine patch pattern in the stack.
Audrey
insists her roma tomatoes
produce the finest salsa yet,
To
which one must add cilantro,
and jalapenos for extra zest!
Foreign
lands seem so intriguing
and not just via the news.
The
globe is meant to be traveled
while one can still pick and choose.
So
many books with so little time
carry me to enchanting places.
Rella’s
brown velour couch or chair
vie for the comfortable spaces.
Orion
and the Big Dipper glisten
as diamonds in the night sky.
Shall
I purchase a nice telescope
to watch them by and by?
Alas,
yesterday is history and
tomorrow may not be.
If
I continue to wait for someday
my desires I will never see.
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